Paddle for disciplining children



Patented July 14, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE' PADDLE FOR DISCIPLINING CHILDREN George F. J orgenson, Norfolk, Va.

Application November 24, 1950, Serial'No. 197331 3 Claims.

My invention relates to a device for use in disciplining children` without danger :of causing injury to them.

A-primary object of the invention is to provide a paddle for use in disciplining a child, the paddle having means for preventing accidental injury to the child by striking too hard a blow.

A further object is to provide a paddle for the above-mentioned purpose which includes a handle having a frangible portion or joint which will fail if too hard a blow is struck with the paddle.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above-mentioned character which is highly simplified and light in construction, sturdy and durable, and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention' will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout same,

Figure l is an enlarged fragmentary central vertical longitudinal section through the paddle embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse vertical section through the same,

Figure 3 is a plan view of the paddle,

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation OI" the handle `'of the paddle shown in Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a central vertical longitudinal section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

In the drawings, where for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, a paddle 36 having the head 26 and marginal cushioning bead 3! is provided with a handle 37 having a frangible portion or joint 38.

For forming the frangible portion or joint 38, the handle 31 is severed near its longitudinal center, as shown at 39, to form separate handle sections 40 and 41. These handle sections 40 and 4! are provided upon opposite sides and at their meeting ends with longitudinal recesses or grooves 42 which register in assembly to form continuous elongated longitudinal grooves upon opposite sides of the handle, Figures 4 and 5. Frangible strips or tapes 43 are arranged longitudinally within the grooves 42 and extend across the meeting ends of the handle portions 40 and 41. The opposite ends of the frangible tapes 43 are secured to the handle portions 40 and 4! by means of brads 44, or the like. The frangible tapes 43 are tensioned so that the handle sections 4% and H havetheir meeting ends held together' firmly and there is no relative movement between` the handle sections during normal use of the paddle.`

` ther blows cannot be struck, but the two handle sections will not separate entirely, and will remain connected by the remaining unbroken tape 43. This prevents the head 26 of the paddle from flying ofi possibly causing injury or damage. The frangible tapes 43 may be formed of various materials, such as woven fabric, copper or some other metal which is not too strong to fail under the desired tension.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A paddle for disciplining children without causing bodily injury thereto comprising a paddle body portion of sufcient area to contact a substantial area of the rump of a child, a first handle section secured to the paddle body portion and extending beyond the margin of the paddle body portion and having an end, a second handle section separate from the first handle section and arranged in substantial longitudinal alignment therewith and having an end arranged in opposed Contacting relation with said end of the first handle section, and a pair of frangible tension elements arranged at substantially diametrically opposed points on the handle sections and extending longitudinally of the handle sections and across said opposed Contacting ends, the frangible tension elements being secured near corresponding ends to the first and second handle sections upon opposite sides of the Contacting ends of the handle sections.

2. A paddle for disciplining children without causing bodily injury thereto comprising a relatively wide substantially fiat paddle body portion, a first handle section secured to the paddle body portion and extending beyond the marginal edge of the paddle body portion in substantially the plane of the body portion, the first handle section However, if-too hard a blow is struck with the paddle 36, the reaction transmitted to having a substantially fiat end arranged substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first handle section, a second handle section separate from the first handle section and arranged in substantial longitudinal alignment therewith and having a substantially fiat end arranged substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof, said substantially fiat ends of the first and second handle sections being -arranged in opposed Contacting relation, and a pair of rangible tension elements extending longitudinaily of the first and second handle sections at substantially diametrically opposed points upon the handle sections and bridging the opposed contacting ends of the handle sections and having corresponding ends Secured to the first and second handle sections on opposite sides of the opposed Contacting ends, the frangible tension elements lying in a plane longitudinally of the handle sections which is substantially per- 4 thereof in substantially the plane of the body portion, the first handle section having an end a second handle section separate from the first pendicular to the plane of the paddle body porhandle section and arranged in substantial longitudinal alignment therewith and having an end arranged in opposed Contacting relation with said end of the first handle section, a pair of frangible tapes extending longitudinally of the first and second handle sections at substantially dia-metrically opposed points upon the handle sections and brdging the opposed contacting ends of the handle sections, the tapes lying in a plane longitudinally of the handle sections which is substantially perpendicular to the substantially fiat body portion, and means securing the tapes near corresponding ends thereof to the first and second handle sections on oppcsite sides of the opposed Contacting ends.

GEORGE F. JORGENSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1561994 Patterson Nov. 17, 1925 2,159,579 Whitney May 23, 1939 2369115 Kent Feb. 13, 1945 2,561,122 Juergens July 17, 1951 

